The 2016 Philippine Presidential Election…could be the worst

The 2016 Philippine Presidential Election

…could be the worst

By Apolinario Villalobos

In the eyes of the ordinary Filipino, the 2016 Philippine Presidential election will be “bloody” and full of frauds, aside from very expensive due to the expected massive vote-buying that will happen. The following are the reasons why:

• Roxas, Pnoy’s bet must win so that he (Pnoy) will be assured that his cases and planned suits will not prosper. If Roxas wins, he will find his hands full of indebtedness to people, aside from Pnoy, who wanted him to sit as president so that they can go on with their corrupt practices, by virtue of manipulation.

• Binay must win so that his graft cases will not prosper, especially, if the corrupt congressmen who stand as the majority in the Lower House will cross over to his side of the fence. Binay’s success will also signal the victory of Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla, who may even be granted “temporary” release from their detention, and Pnoy will have his share of humiliating court appearances.  Binay might even be supported by militants who are observably very silent when it comes to issues against him.

• If Poe wins, both Pnoy and Binay will surely spend days in court to defend themselves for graft cases filed against them. The only hope of Poe is the united stand of the different Christian churches. Militants will definitely not support her. If, the Roxas camp will be split at the last minute in her favor, she will have a chance of winning. Those from the Roxas camp who will support her, are the “trapos” (traditional politicians), who will again change their color, hoping that they can control the inexperienced Poe, hence, continue in pursuing their selfish motives which stinks of corruption.

Because of the above situations, both the Roxas and Binay camps will exert deadly effort, though separately, to discredit Poe. The Roxas camp will do it very subtly, while Binay’s will be severe, touching even on trivial matters, such as Poe’s adoption, which it is doing now. But, the bitter fight shall be between Roxas and Binay.

The campaign season will make the electorate temporarily rich because of the expected flood of cash, although, some bills shall be bogus or fake, as usual. Electoral campaigns shall be characterized by cash dole-outs even in broad daylight, without fear or timidity. Most alarming, though, is that the people behind the “hello Garci” scandal are still lurking in the COMELEC!

The Commission on Election is expected to play “helpless” on election-related problems due to their claim for inadequate facilities and staff, as their way of washing their hands every time problems crop up during election. Expect, too, finger-pointing on the foreseen failure of vote-counting due to breakdowns of the already inadequate computers.

Worst, there may be attempts to declare a failure of election and a military take-over. The forthcoming election is expected to be chaotic because honor and integrity of the families concerned, except that of Poe’s, are at stake!

Sa Isyu pa rin ng Bangsamoro Basic Law…hantad na ang kuwestiyon sa papel ng Malaysia

Sa Isyu pa rin Bangsamoro Basic Law

…hantad na ang kuwestiyon sa papel ng Malaysia

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Noon pa man ay nagtaka na ako kung bakit kinuha ng gobyerno ang Malaysia bilang “third party” o mediator sa usaping BBL, ganoong napakaliwanag ng mga sumusunod na dahilan kung bakit hindi dapat:

• May pinagtatalunang kaso ang Pilipinas at Malaysia tungkol sa pagmamay-ari ng Sabah, at tulad ng China gumamit din ng ampaw na historical facts ang Malaysia. Tulad ng China, ayaw din ng Malaysia na may mamagitang international court sa usapin.

• Kalat sa internet ang sinabi ni Iqbal na ang orihinal na biyahe dapat noon ni Ninoy Aquino ay papunta muna sa Malaysia kung saan ay magkikita sila, hindi diretso sa Maynila kung saan siya ay pinatay. Kung sa Malaysia siya nakarating, malamang na kinanlong siya ng Malaysian government na galit kay Ferdinand Marcos na siyang may ideya ng pag-agaw sa Sabah gamit ang mga recruits na sinanay sa Corregidor at kalaunan ay na-massacre, at tinaguriang “Jabidah massacre”. Ang nagbulgar ng planong pagbawi ng Pilipinas mula sa Malaysia ay si Ninoy Aquino na noon ay senador. Ang pagbulgar na ito ang dahilan ng “Jabidah Massacre”. Kung hindi ito binulgar ni Ninoy, malamang ay nabawi na ng Pilipinas ang Sabah.

• Binulgar ni Nur Misuari ng MNLF na sinusupurtahan sila ng Malaysia sa layunin nilang ihiwalay ang Mindanao sa Pilipinas na hanggang ngayon ay adhikain nila. Kaya, personal akong nagulat nang malaman kong ang orihinal na BBL ay tila patungo sa pagiging hiwalay na estado. Kapag nagkaganoon ay madali na ring isama sa federation ng Malaysia ang Mindanao kung sakali. Kung hindi man maisama ay maaaring mas malaki ang magiging pakikipagtulungan ng hiwalay na Mindanao sa Malaysia dahil sa magkaparehong kultura at relihiyon ng dalawa. Ang malaking isyu sa Mindanao ay ang hindi matawarang likas na yaman nito na hindi pa “nailalabas”. Sa kabila ng yamang ito, naghihirap pa rin ang mga Muslim sa Mindanao, na ginamit na malaking dahilan upang magkaroon ng Bangsamoro. Lumalabas na napapabayaan ng central government ng Pilipinas ang Mindanao.

Nang banggitin ko sa mga isinulat ko noon ang banta ng Malaysia sa BBL, tahimik ang Senado at nagkaroon na ng seremonya sa pag-apruba ng BBL “in principle”. Tahimik ang lahat, subalit  dahil malapit na ang eleksiyon, nabanggit na ito ni senador Marcos, lalo na ang tungkol sa Malaysia…. at marami na rin ang nakikisawsaw!